Reich J G
Biomed Biochim Acta. 1985;44(6):845-52.
The actual potential of a metabolic system is determined by its enzyme "spectrum", i.e. the amount of the various enzymes present. The paper addresses the problem whether this spectrum can be designed in accordance with a general principle. The long prehistory of selection of any real metabolic system suggests the optimal adaptation to a given set of selection criteria as a possible design principle. It is shown that not every (bio)chemical reactor automatically displays an optimal construction in this sense, but metabolic systems are structured such that they can do so. Structural features that lead to optimizable dynamics include: kinetic autocatalysis, stoichiometric autocatalysis, competition for the allocation of biosynthetic capacity, required economy in external resources of the system, and competition of systems for common nutrients or other resources. In these circumstances the enzyme spectrum has a distinct optimum that can be approached by stepwise adaptation and selection.
代谢系统的实际潜能由其酶“谱”决定，即由存在的各种酶的数量决定。本文探讨了这样一个问题：这种酶谱是否能依据一个通用原则来设计。任何实际代谢系统漫长的选择前期历史表明，作为一种可能的设计原则，其对给定的一组选择标准具有最优适应性。结果表明，并非每个（生物）化学反应器在这个意义上都会自动呈现出最优结构，但代谢系统的构建方式使其能够做到这一点。导致可优化动力学的结构特征包括：动力学自催化、化学计量自催化、生物合成能力分配的竞争、系统外部资源所需的经济性，以及不同系统对共同养分或其他资源的竞争。在这些情况下，酶谱有一个明确的最优值，可以通过逐步适应和选择来趋近。
